Template for a These Walls Must Fall trade union motion

If you are a member of a trade union and would like them to pass a motion (resolution) against immigration detention and in support of the These Walls Must Fall campaign, you may find it useful to use some or all of the text below. This is adapted from the motion passed by Liverpool TUC.

In general, a trade union motion will include background information about the issue, and then actions that the union branch resolves to take.

Ending Immigration Detention – [Add your trade union branch here]

Immigration detention centres are the most brutal and unjust consequences of immigration controls – all should be closed.

[Trade union branch] notes that in each year around 30,000 people enter immigration detention centres in the UK. 50% of those in detention centres have sought asylum in the UK, fleeing conflict and persecution; others include visitors, workers, family members and students.

They are not detained because they have committed a crime. They are locked up without trial, without time limit and with minimal access to bail (conditional release). No-one should be detained just because they want to be in this country.

[Trade union branch] also notes that while people seeking asylum are not allowed to work while they are living in the community, while they are detained they are expected to work for rates of pay as low as £1.00 per hour.

Detention negatively impacts individuals’ physical and mental health wellbeing and there have been reports of widespread abuse in detention centres. The majority of people held in detention are eventually released into the community.

[Trade union branch] further notes that the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Refugees and Migration published a report following their inquiry into the use of immigration detention in the UK and concluded that the UK uses detention ‘disproprotionately and inappropriately’ and that detention is “expensive, inefficient and unjust.”

[Trade union branch]:

– respects the right to liberty, justice and dignity for all and believes that immigration detention is a breach of basic human rights

– acknowledges the negative impact that detention has on individuals’ mental and physical and wellbeing

– acknowledges the findings and recommendations of the All Party Parliamentary Inquiry on detention and calls for an end to all immigration detention

– supports the These Walls Must Fall campaign

– calls on trade unions to support this motion, and calls on branches and members to raise the matter with their local representatives, union and political, to support the campaign to close detention centres

– seeks further support for this motion by encouraging other unions and groups across [your local area] and the UK to support and campaign on this issue